Having diabetes does not mean you can not enjoy delicious meals. Here is a collection of tasty and healthy Diabetes friendly Indian recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, that the whole family can enjoy. They are all relatively low in carbs and taste amazing!

Note: I am not a doctor, and am not sharing medical advice here. Whenever you make any changes to your diet, make sure to check with your doctor and monitor your blood sugar level.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (blood sugar) is too high. Glucose comes from the food we eat. An organ called the pancreas (PAN-kree-as) makes insulin (IN-suh-lin). Insulin helps glucose get from your blood into your cells. Cells take the glucose and turn it into energy.

When you have diabetes, your body has a problem making or properly using insulin. As a result, glucose builds up in your blood and cannot get into your cells. If the blood glucose stays too high, it can damage your body.

Source: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes

What are the types of diabetes?

There are three main types of diabetes.

• Type 1 diabetes—In this type of diabetes, the body does not make insulin. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day and do not have dietary restrictions.

• Type 2 diabetes—In this type of diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or use insulin well. Some people with type 2 diabetes have to take diabetes pills, insulin, or both or need to watch their diet. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes.

• Gestational diabetes—This type of diabetes can occur when a woman is pregnant. It raises the risk that both she and her child might develop diabetes later in life.

How many Carbs should I eat?

Unfortunately, there’s no “one size fits all” answer—everyone is different because everyone’s body is different. The amount you can eat and stay in your target blood sugar range depends on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors. You doctor will be the best person to suggest the right amount for you.

On average, people with diabetes should aim to get about half of their calories from carbs. That means if you normally eat about 1,800 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight, about 800 to 900 calories can come from carbs.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/eat-well/diabetes-and-carbohydrates.html

Eat Well

Follow the routine of eating small and frequent meals to keep your blood sugar levels in control. Include foods in your diet that reduce the glycemic index. You can do that my mixing carbs with good fats. Limit your portions, choose wisely and eat healthy!

Below you will find recipes for an Indian Diabetic diet for Type 2 diabetes, including recipes for breakfast, snack, some vegetarian and meat diabetic recipes. Most of these recipes are relatively low in carbs, easy to make and are super delicious.

I am also sharing some tips I got from my readers on Instagram:

• Replace wheat roti with bajra or jowar roti's.
• Quinoa, amaranth, bulgur, barley, millets, and buckwheat are good alternatives grains to add to diet.
• Some focus on Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) eating plan with high protein diet.
• Bitter gourd juice is a great recipe for diabetes reversal. Cut bitter gourd, apply salt, turmeric and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then juice it and enjoy. This can also be freezed in ice-cube trays.
• If you are social media savvy, check out @diabetes.rd on Instagram and Reversing Diabetes Type 2 Support Group on Facebook.

You might also find my post about low carb indian food recipes useful.

Note: I am not a doctor, and not sharing any medical advice here. Whenever you make any changes to your diet, make sure to check with your doctor and monitor your blood sugar level.

Indian Breakfast for Diabetics

Vegetarian Diabetic Recipes

Chicken and Fish Recipes

I hope you have found your favorite and easy Indian diabetic recipes! Some of these can be made in the instant pot or air fryer, while others can be made on the stovetop. Let me know what you are most excited to make, and when you make it, don't forget to tag #pipingpotcurry.

If you are looking for gluten-free recipes, here are 50+ Gluten-free Indian Food Recipes.